Chapter 311: Shinobu Kocho and the Silver-Eyed Witch

"Is your name Clare? What a beautiful name."

Inside a Western-style tavern, the noisy clamor and the foul, smoky environment made Shinobu Kocho feel very uncomfortable.

However,

members of the Demon Slayer Corps also undergo disguise training, so although she did not like it inside, she would not express it.

Sitting across from Shinobu Kocho

was a tall, blonde beauty.

She had delicate features and short hair. Her curvaceous body was wrapped in a white bodysuit, and her shoulders, hips, and other areas requiring combat protection were shielded by cold steel armor.

She looked heroic and spirited.

Hearing Shinobu Kocho's praise, Clare was slightly stunned, and the words on the tip of her tongue changed into two.

"Thank you."

The other party's gentle tone and a gaze completely different from those of the people on Claymore Island reminded her of long-forgotten memories.

On Claymore Island, Swordsmen like them, who were raised by the Organization and had their bodies fused with Demon Flesh to become half-Yoma,

were not only viewed as tools by the Organization and enemies by the Yoma, but were also feared by the civilians they protected.

It was very rare for someone to offer words of praise.

"Are the Demon Slayers of your Demon Slayer Continent all built like you?"

Clare asked the question weighing on her mind.

Although it might be a bit impolite,

she was currently acting under orders from the Organization, as the Leader of the Claymores and the head of the Demon Slayer Corps had reached an agreement to exchange envoys to learn about each other.

Both sides were organizations that took hunting Yoma as their duty, and after the two worlds collided, they tacitly agreed to share their experiences in hunting Yoma and demons under the guise of an exchange.

Rather than breaking out into direct conflict.

Because neither world was as peaceful as imagined; both faced enormous threats that could not be ignored.

If possible,

reaching a cooperation was the best choice; at the very least, they could temporarily keep the other side from causing trouble.

"How rude, Miss Clare."

Shinobu Kocho was not angry,

but instead smiled and teased the tall Claymore, who could be seen at a glance to have had little contact with others.

She explained: "On our continent, members of the Demon Slayer Corps all practice an ability called a Breathing Technique, which allows ordinary people to unleash great power to contend with demons."

There was no need to hide the Demon Slayer Corps' Breathing Technique,

or rather,

Kagaya Ubuyashiki had never once thought of hiding any ability related to hunting demons;

if the other side wanted it, they could take it all.

Having fought against demons for a thousand years, the Demon Slayer Corps knew well how fragile and powerless humans were in the face of such alien species; compared to the attitude of hoarding one's own treasures,

the head of the Demon Slayer Corps wanted nothing more than for there to be no more creatures in the world that harmed humans.

"In return, Miss Clare should also tell me about your world's methods for countering Yoma, right?"

Shinobu Kocho's gentle voice rang out, inquiring about the Claymore Island's ability to counter Yoma—not only because she wanted to know if the Claymores' abilities had any suppressive effects on the demons of the Demon Slayer World, but also because she was worried that if those Yoma with special camouflage abilities were to wander into the Demon Slayer World, the Demon Slayer Corps members would have a way to respond.

Looking at the petite but gentle, big-sister-like Shinobu Kocho, Clare was just about to speak,

when the tavern suddenly became chaotic. A bearded bartender covered in blood ran in from the backyard in a panic, shouting: "There's a Yoma, a man-eating Yoma! My wife and child have both been eaten by the Yoma!"

The guests immediately scattered and fled; they had originally come out of curiosity after hearing that Claymores had arrived in the village, never expecting to encounter a man-eating Yoma.

"The backyard?"

Clare frowned deeply. She did indeed smell a foul, lingering Yoma aura on the bartender; the man was not lying.

She drew the heavy Claymore from her back, brushed past the bearded bartender, and charged toward the backyard.

Suddenly,

she felt a chill at her lower back. Turning her head, she saw an arm in its Yoma form lying on the ground, already severed.

Her lower back had nearly been torn open by the Yoma's sharp claws; it was fortunate that the other party had acted in time.

"What a reckless young girl. You must pay attention to details when fighting."

Shinobu Kocho's voice emerged. Her petite frame was completely obscured by the giant Yoma,

and the Yoma's pair of golden-glowing pupils gradually dimmed as its beast-like head hit the ground with a thud.

"Although I cannot perceive the Yoma aura you speak of, the smell of blood in this guy's mouth was practically overflowing when he was talking."

Shinobu Kocho's gaze was calm, though her eyes were filled with disgust and killing intent as she said: "If we're talking about a man-eating Yoma, I'm afraid it is undoubtedly him."

Truly disgusting.

Whether it was the Demon Slayer Continent or Claymore Island, such Yoma that disguised themselves as the closest kin to commit slaughter were just as disgusting as the Demon King who turned his closest kin into demons.

"Thank you for saving me."

Clare was slightly surprised, not only because Shinobu Kocho could unleash the power to kill a Yoma, but also because of the other party's keen insight and rich combat experience.

At the very least, only a top-ranked Claymore could compare, right?

Looking at the empty tavern, Shinobu Kocho asked with some confusion: "These are all combat experiences to ensure one's own safety, which can greatly reduce the mortality rate of novice Demon Slayers. Does the Claymore Organization not have experience in this regard?"

She felt it was very strange, to say nothing of the Demon Slayer Corps members who had to dance on the edge of a blade and fight demons at all times.

Even the garrison soldiers of those nobles would undergo systematic training to increase their survival probability.

Even if the high-and-mighty Nobles ignored these experiences and treated the soldiers' lives like grass, wouldn't there be a rebellion? In her eyes,

since the Claymore Organization could hunt Yoma, the Leader should be a kind person with the heart to protect and save civilians, just like Oyakata-sama.

Clare was equally confused. After being stunned for a long while by Shinobu Kocho's question, she said dryly: "Do the members of your Demon Slayer Corps need to learn combat experience that can reduce the risk of death?"

The Organization naturally trains Claymores in the ability to hunt Yoma.

But it is so crude and rudimentary that it could be called a joke; aside from training to purely enhance physical functions, there is only the fusion of Demon Flesh, and then the highly destructive, suicidal, and primitive head-on slaughter against Yoma.

As for the more profound techniques that Shinobu Kocho spoke of, Clare asked: "In that case, the training time would be significantly extended, right?"

"Of course."

Shinobu Kocho nodded naturally and said: "However, hunting demons is inherently a very dangerous process; if there were no long-term training, as well as reasonable information gathering and distribution, wouldn't that be treating the members of the Demon Slayer Corps as disposable tools?"

Although the members of the Demon Slayer Corps are in danger,

Kagaya Ubuyashiki, as Oyakata-sama, has already done his utmost to minimize the risk of death and protect the safety of his children to the greatest extent.

Not only are there trained messenger crows that can transmit information anytime and anywhere.

There is also a specialized logistics department for support, forging swords, gathering information, and recovering from injuries, ensuring that the demons assigned to each member of the Demon Slayer Corps do not exceed their strength limits.

To the Oyakata-sama of the Demon Slayer Corps, the members of the Demon Slayer Corps are all heroes willing to bet their lives on hunting demons! "Not treated as disposable tools?"

Clare stood frozen in place, a massive storm seemingly churning in her mind.

(End of this chapter)